i was just wondering if, one of the times in the future that we meet for a Club Fly in the Kankakee area, maybe we can, as an alternative to Perry Farm, try one of the fields in Bourbonnais, for instance. Perry Farm IMHO is a singularly lousy place to kite fly (in terms of dual line tricking, at least); the undercurrents from the trees that surround that field make tricking very difficult. This would be greatly exacerbated in the warmer months... when leaves are on the trees.

There is a nice set of fields in Boubonnais not far from Perry Farm. At the corner of Bethel Drive and Career Center Road, for instance, there are soccer fields and adjacent fields that are very good; at least the trees are not so close to you there. As long as there are not a lot of soccer games going on, it would not present a problem. There are also large fields very near to that location. There is another field south of William R. Latham Sr. Drive that is also pretty good, i believe. These are a farther drive for me... but are better.

The way that global warming is supposed to be making the coastal areas more inhospitable (weather-wise) in the future... it may be that soon we will be the ones with the overall better flying conditions!

Tom P.
Illinois_______ (excerpt from E. E. Cummings: "How many winds make wonderful... and is luck The skeleton of life")

I'm up for trying anywhere.
I liked Perry Farms for two reasons. It has public bathrooms, and it is a place where the pubic will see us flying and maybe ask questions and get introduced to the club and the sport.

I can't count the times I've been thrown off the soccer field in Bourbonnais. (and I used to be a coach for them). Those Dynamo Soccer guys are sticklers about their lease on that field. I've had the cops escort me off several times. They claim the insurance is for soccer only. Good Luck!

Are you guys tired of the field behind Microtek or is it the fact not too many people can see us there? Just curious.

I agree the PF is a tricky place to fly on some days. We tried to get the Park District to sponcer a kite group called the PF Fliers years back. They were afraid of copyright infringment. That works out fine as IKE is a much better idea.

That's weird about the Soccer Field, Denny; because i have flown there tons of times and was never asked to leave. i even flew next to the guys putting in the line markings on the grass... and have even engaged in conversation about my kites with the guys tending the fields! i have even flown a lot during official soccer tournaments (with masses of people all around)... and just moved to empty spots when people would come to my immediate area.

The Microtek field looks like it would be great as far as i can see... though i haven't flown there yet. At least Microtek isn't surrounded by tall trees! Personally, not as many people seeing us at the Microtek spot would not be much of an issue with me... as i fly enough at a number of other locations (and festivals) with people seeing me; it's just a sport/hobby... not a profound religious philosophy... and 99.9% of people walking their dogs do not give a hoot about kite flying.

Have a safe and healthy new year everyone!

Tom P.

Illinois_______ (excerpt from E. E. Cummings: "How many winds make wonderful... and is luck The skeleton of life")

No way Denny!! You have a great set up, and we all appreciate your help and facilities We are just looking to find the best place for exposure to the public. Unfortunately, not too many people can see us flying back there. Hope to see you on the next fly!!

It's a great satisfaction knowing that for a brief point in time you made a difference.

I just got the new Park District catalogue for the coming quarter. They have posted the event dates of everything for the new year EXCEPT the Kite Festival. I hope they just haven't decided on a new date. I would hate to see them drop the festival. I'll call Shara and see what I can find out.

I just got off the phone with Shara, Tom and Kelly from the Bourbonnais Park District. They are willing to sit down with IKE members and try and figure out a way to save the kite festival. They claim they cannot afford another cold and rainy event. They are open to a new time slot and changing the way things are done. They need new sponsers and some fresh advertizing ideas. They need help! One of their biggest expences is the monster sound systems that the competitive fliers say they need every year. Last year I made a phone call to a friend and saved them $750.00 or half what they were paying in previous years. They say they don't HAVE to make money ...they just can't afford to LOOSE a lot of it again. I'm sure our vast membership can put their heads together and come up with a plan to save this time honored event. They are waiting to hear from us as to a date we can pow wow and exchange some fresh ideas. It needs to be soon as they are hoping for a June date if possible. We need to get the ball rolling. What say you membership?

I have been attending the Perry Farm Kite Festival since it's inception and I feel that it is really important to keep this festival alive. It has been snakebit with bad weather for the last few years and we have lost spectators and fliers alike. It is one of the few competitive events we have left in the Midwest. Not to mention the wonderful visibility as well as the opportunity to bring all forms of kiting to the public. The Park District has been fantastic in their support of the event and their willingness to work with us over the years.

Hiya Ann, and welcome!
For those who don't think you know Ann, you actually do. She is often the voice of the festivals in the midwest as she announces at many of them. She's also the Mom of three talented fliers and married to one too.

I think I've been to all the Perry Farm events and they certainly have had really bad weather the last few years.

I don't know anyone at the parks dept or any of the details of the festival for myself. However, some kite fliers have complained to me that they resent all the attention that the Park Dept pays to the competition fliers and not enough space and attention is given to the other sport fliers or the public fliers.

So there is some tension going on and I think we need to get things out in the open. I hope the folks who have spoken to me will speak up here.

At other festivals, the demo fliers attract large crowds, but I have to say that in my experience that hasn't been the case at Perry Farms. Most people don't watch the competition and spend time most of their time in the public area. Even when the weather has been good.

I know the competitions in this area are hard to come by and it would be a big problem if we lose this venue.
So let me be clear: I think we still need the competitions. Even if the competition was mostly Ann's extended family out there last year , it still needs to be there to attract new competitors. Which it will if we bring more folks to the festival.

Maybe a different layout of the fields would work better. Or maybe holding the competitions earlier in the day or on a different day. The area in the early years that was used for fighters kites is now nice grass and perhaps could be used for competition. It would still be visible to the public but not as front and center. That would allow us to have a section for sport kites as well as a section for the general public to fly.

It's pretty impossible for Dual line fliers to find space at Perry Farms. The single public section is too dangerous for them to fly in. It's even tricky for quad line guys like myself to avoid all the cotton lines the kids are flying.

So from, my admittedly non-competition viewpoint, I would de-emphasize the competition and emphasize the public participation. We could have kite making for kids (was Charlie Sotich there in the first year or two?). Having a separate sport kite area would give sport kite fliers a place to play and also allow the public to approach, ask questions and try sport kites. The public can also see the competitive part of kite flying and of course the BIG kites down at the end of the fields, allowing them to get an idea of the diversity of the AKA.

Hi Ann... I've missed you guys over in Lisle.... my only company there these days is a guy who thinks the field is a driving range... I finally had to report him to the park district as he is just plain dangerous, not to mention cheap as there is a driving range less than a mile from Community Park.

I'm feeling the need here to jump in and defend competion kiters. Big Sister Syndrom, getting a grip on it though....

Hi Ann, and a warm welcome.

I think that tension is a strong word for what goes on the majority of time between the kite specialities. While on the rare occation things draw out to what could be called tension, I see it far more often as a friendly, respectful and healthy rivalary between speciaties. It's not just happening between competition flyers and rec. flyers. It happens between all the many wonderful facets of kiting. Single line and multi-line, giants and small kites and so on.

I definitely want the competition to stay as well.
I think the festival would do better if we had better weather and the addition of family activities such as kite-making and giving folks a chance to try a dual or quad.

I don't intend to offend anyone here with my opinion. Let me start by saying that I have not been a AKA competitor. (I am a member). I am however a taxpayer in the Bourbonnais township. I also have been part of this festival since day one. My company has been a working sponsor and I have brought them a consistant sponsor every year. I am not against the idea of having competition during this festival but I believe the bulk of the expence of this festival has been spent on catering to the competitors. The poor weather has been largly due to the early time of year we hold this event. I believe we had 1 good event in this time slot. I have stood in rain soaked and snow/sleet filled fields a few years. When I asked about changing the date to later in the year in hopes of better weather I was told the competitors would not be able to attend any other date. I believe the programs at the Perry Farm are to entertain and enrich the lives of the area constituants. I have volunteered for most of their other events including Meadow Fair, Olde Time Farm Show and Night at Sleepy Hollow. All of these events have grown each year to the monumental events they are today. I have attended the last 2 Dog day Afternoon events and have seen proof that Sarah knows how to put on a fun event that gets larger every year. So what are we doing wrong with the Kite Festival?

I know the BIG KITES are a definate draw to these events. I know Charlie has been a great asset teaching kids how to build a sled kite.
I have seen parents with children come to the SLK field and turn around and leave because there was not enough room for them to fly in the alloted area.
Two years ago even the competitors could not compete because of the 38 mph winds.
Ann, are there any other dates later in the year that the competitors could attend. We need weather conducive to families attending.
Sunshine would be nice but I would settle for above 50 degrees and no horizonal rain.
Naperville and Glen Ellyn have both recently hosted new kite festivals and both have grown in a few short years. We need to put this event back on the books!

The orginal activities director wrote an article about how the Perry Farm festival got started. It's still in the databases at NIU and I used it when I was working on the festival here. It's a nice article that generated some interest with our sponsors. I feel it incubated our baby festival, and sure would like to know all there is to know about the pitfalls you've faced.

I'm glad to hear that the park district is so active and successful with other programs. That says alot to the capabilities of the program. Brings up the question too, of why they're looking for fresh ideas? Is that a systemic concern or just in regards to this festival? If it's just this festival, what is making that any different from the other programs?

How did competitions get started at Bourbonaisse? Why are dates so limited for having a competion? Geez, I thought it took a herculean effort to get our festival scheduled effectively for the city alone! Our little community has stuff going on all the time! The community schedule took priority though, because that's where the funding comes from, without that there is no festival. It also has it's share of headaches in scheduling, cause some of the biggest events in town are the NIU games, and they don't get scheduled until spring.